Judge clarifies Bridgeton Landfill settlement “A federal judge has ruled that residents who collect damages from a $6.8 million class-action settlement over the smoldering Bridgeton Landfill in St. Louis County can still pursue separate legal claims related to radiation risks. A tentative agreement reached in April calls for the landfill’s owner to pay an average of nearly $13,000 per household to hundreds of affected residents. But some were prepared to turn down the deal, which required approval by 95 percent of the 400 remaining class members.” (Associated Press)

As deadline nears, bottle bill at 'impasse' “Beacon Hill lawmakers have been unable to reach a compromise for a bottle bill update as a deadline draws near, and groups opposed to the expansion and pro-update activists who are seeking to put the issue on the November ballot are inching closer to a potentially expensive fight in the fall. ‘You have people really dug in to this issue, so I suppose it will go to a ballot question,’ said Sen. Robert Hedlund, a Weymouth Republican who has long pushed for an update to the law to cover more types of beverages. (Sentinel & Enterprise)

Fairfax County, ESI have yet to reach deal on landfill expansion “Still unable to reach an agreement on the proposed expansion of a construction debris landfill in Lorton despite months of negotiations, county officials and landfill owner EnviroSolutions Inc. will continue to negotiate through next month. Under its current operating permit, the Lorton Landfill must close by 2018 and ESI is allowed to maintain a recycling center on its property adjacent to the landfill.” (Fairfax Times)

Valley recycling center celebrates expansion “Long-sought upgrades at the Matanuska-Susitna Borough's main recycling facility are expected to start chipping away at the growing heap of garbage headed to the landfill right next door. A ribbon-cutting and celebration of the improvements at the center, located at the heart of the borough's population center between Palmer and Wasilla, drew about 100 onlookers on Tuesday.” (Anchorage Daily News)

Recycling carts, collection center coming to Naperville “Recycling took a couple of steps forward in Naperville as city council members passed a funding plan to provide residents with new recycling carts and approved a contract to build an environmental collection center. The city will spend $375,000 to provide recycling carts with lids and wheels, but residents also will pay $36 for each cart, payable in $3 monthly utility bill charges for 12 months. The environmental collection center, to be built north of the city's public works headquarters on Fort Hill Drive, will cost $1.2 million using $900,000 from a state grant.” (Daily Herald)

Future of Stafford landfill still unclear “The financial woes of the regional landfill came before the Stafford Board of Supervisors Tuesday in a discussion that left one supervisor leaning toward closing the landfill altogether. ‘To be honest, I’m partial to the idea that the dump, whatever we want to call it, goes away after [space runs out] and we start letting the commercial haulers take it to King George,’ said Supervisor Cord Sterling.” (Fredericksburg.com)

Gas removal ceased temporarily at landfill “The hydrogen sulfide gas burning system at the former Fenimore landfill was down for maintenance for four days last week, prompting concerns about the return of noxious hydrogen sulfide odors. Monday, however, Township Manager Christopher Raths reported no complaints, and said the township’s air quality monitors did not register any significant increases.” (Roxbury Register)

Parma doubles recycling rate but officials push for more “Mayor Tim DeGeeter said he is proud of his city's residents for the more than 17 percent boost in recycling for last year. Parma recycled 27.8 percent of its waste in 2013, more than doubling its rate from 10.4 percent in 2012, according to the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste Management District's annual report that was released last week. City Council President Sean Brennan said in the years prior to 2013 he would drive around the city and see very few houses recycling.” (Cleveland.com)

Saskatoon adding new benches, recycling at bus stops “The City of Saskatoon is hoping to get more people using public transit with some new facilities at bus stops. On Wednesday, the city announced it is replacing all of its 150 benches currently at bus stops by November 2014. The new benches include recycling stations for paper, cans and bottles. Bob Howe, director of Saskatoon Transit, said the city will also be adding 130 new benches over the next ten years.” (CBC.ca)

Compost rats overrun Vancouver daycare playground “Backyard composting bins in a parking lot under the north end of the Burrard Bridge have created a serious rat problem for a nearby daycare. YMCA spokesperson Kelly Walker says the bins attracted a horde of rodents, which soon began appearing in the Beach daycare playground, forcing them to keep the children indoors.” (CBC.ca)